Ambitions and a baby

I did not want children until I was in my mid 30’s. I was dead set on having a booming career and fulfilling all my ambitions before I’d even consider kids. It was all going to follow a perfect timeline, until life happened, in perfect timing to me being unemployed. I was 24 and pregnant with my first child.

So I started my first company. I was able to run it from my laptop, which helped because I suffered extreme morning sickness and struggled to leave the bed on most days. However, being self-employed with a newly started business meant no security or a steady stream of income. This meant I had to work through the whole pregnancy up until 3 days before my birth and just 2 days after labour I was back to client emails and client orders all whilst admiring the most precious thing I have ever put my eyes on.

I don’t want to toot my own horn but after combining breastfeeding with client calls, night feeds with full working days all with a baby in my arms, you start feeling like a bit of a superhuman. Supertiredhuman. But still super. You can say that finding balance is key from mompreneurs, but when combining a small company with non-stop motherhood, you are lucky if you even brush your hair for a week.

Keys to successful management

Having now run two businesses since I became a mother, one of the biggest things I have learned to appreciate is finding different tools for time efficiency. It’s important that things run smoothly so that I can focus on the important stuff.

Just one example of what I don’t want when running a business, is running into issues such as being left with excess inventory. I need to know just how much is needed, and using systems or “product recipes” such as bill of materials to make sure I’m not left with incorrectly assembled products that can’t be used is vital.

When you ask other successful parents for advice, most will answer that having good support and not being afraid to ask for help is key. Whilst this is valuable, it does not take into account all single parents who might not have close family or friends around to help. When this is the case it becomes more important to research what online software or tools there are that can help your business to make it run as smoothly as possible. Integrating that kind of assistance to produce a better process will be of so much help, instead of feeling you have to do every miniscule task by yourself.

A final word on this endeavor

Being a mompreneur is the best thing I have ever done. I have been able to see every “first” my child has ever done, I have had the luxury to be present every single day instead of handing her over from 9-5 whilst I sit in an office.

Although managing business with parenthood is tough, it is the most rewarding way to work and I wouldn’t change it for the world. A lot of mompreneurs start companies because of an urgent need and it is their passion and drive that fuels their determination to get the job done and thrive.